The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-12-07
CowED THE HENDERSON GANG.
The Life of Tavern Keeper in an Ohio
River Town

The Life of a Tavern Keeper in an Ohio
River Town
New York Sun,
speaking about nerve" said Brooks, as
be sat at table in the Office of the Com
mercial Travellers Association, ''the
brsvest man / ever met was one Prescott,
of Evansville, Ind. He was a daisy.
often stayed at his place-a sort OF tavern,
saloon, billiard room, and dance hall COM
bined. 1t was like this: There was bit OF
property which had been idle for years.
All sorts of men had tried to run it, but
they had to get out. They lacked the re-
Quired never. The bloods would cross
over from Henderson, Ky, and make it
dissgreeable for the landlord. They would
play his billiards and drink his whisky,
and then when asked for pay would set in
and clean his shop out. Finally this man
Prescott heard of this property for sale,
found the price low, and so bought ii in.
But don't suppose he knew
Just what allied the property,
for he was from New Hampshire.
~ just wish you could hsvs seen the
cuss Why, he didn't look big enough to
whip cat. He was one of those Slim
Jims, with sandy hair and weak legs, q
sallow-facsd, light, watery blue-eyed fell
low. l was travelling through there at
that time, and happened along a week
or so after Prescott got started He had
fixed the place up in style. I drove up at
dnsk, put up my team for the night, aud,
after a drink, prepared to go out
for the evening. / noticed ten
stamping young bloods IN the bill
Eard room. They were dressed well, and
had gold watches with long chains. There
didn't seem to be anything the matter with
them, and 1 left them playing billiards
and smoking cigars, with now and then a
cell on the bar. When l got back to the
tavern, after a while the same crowd was
there. and there didn't seem to be anything
tie matter with them then. But Prescott
said to me Il was Vermonter, and he and
l felt somewhat acouainted):
m afraid these boys will give me
trouble
"'WhyP
"'Well, this is that Henderson gang I've
heard so much Of They're all rich mems
sons, and think they can run things. Their
| game is to get all they can and pay moth
Ing for it. But they will have to pay me
for what they get before they get out OF
| heren
HE said it all as quietly as if he had
! Just remarked he thought it would rain
next day. sat smoking near the stove,
where l could see the young bloods in the
billiard room. declare they seemed to
be very decent young men. They had
been to the bar pretty often, and they
were trife lively in their play, and may
be bit loud in their conversation, bat
| that was all, and why Prescott was afraid
| of trouble l couldn't for the life Of me
make out.
But pretty soon they began to show
their hand. First two of them took a
| good stiff drink and cigar apiece, and
! then ierked their thumbs over their
shoulder as they moved toward the doo-.
"'Thesother felers'lI make this all right.
Prescott said Very well, and then he
! bowed them out like prince of the royal
! line. Then a couple more took big drink
! and the best cigars, and out they went.
1.-The other boys in thar'll settle the
scoren
There were now half a dozen big ones
! left inside. Pretty soon they came out
too. They ranged along the bar. filed up
two or three times around, and then start
ed for the door.
! "'Stopr
''They paused, then looked around mild
ly reproBcbful at Prescott, who stood be-
hind the bar. One of the party said.
well! what dye wantP
prescott, with his thin, white face show
ing no more emotion than brass kettle,
remarked:
"'Gentlemen, you've forgotten some
thing. Please to pay for what you We had.
y
some other time
Then something happened. The little
white livered cuss of Prescott sprang over
the bar like cat, his long white apron hy-
ing between his legs; and before the Ken
tuckiaDs comprehended what was to hap
pen he had his back against the door aud
the six toughs covered with two big horse
pistols. His face was as white as chalk, but
/ tell you his blue eyes blszed- In an IN
slant, after recovering from their surprise,
the gang reached for their guns. But Pres
colt had them to, wellEcovered- He said
1.-The man that attempts to draw his
shooter gets hole bored through him as
big as a barrel Not man shall leave this
room till I've had what's due me-
1t looked very much like blood there
for about minute, but Prescotts blazing
eyes and his ugly looking guns took the
starch out of the toughs and pretty soon
they tired TO slink out of range. One oil
them said:
1--WE left our money no me. Let Us out
and we'll fetch il to yee."
"'No-you-don't.'
This was Prescotts determined ans we ?
Indicating one of the party with pts toll
be said
"'You put your watch on the cigar case.
"He did as directed. IL was a gold. re
pester.
The big horse pistols we're lowered.
Now, gentlemen, come up and have
som ething on me-
Prescott said this with all the suavitJ
imaginable, as he resumed his place behind
the bar, and pretty soon the kentuckfan'
were lifting in liquor as naturally as i
nothing unusual had occurred.
Money? Why, that gang was full .
ii. They stood up and called for round
after round, and paid for 1t, and refused Z
take any change. OF course, after awhile
they got tired and wanted to lean VI
against the furniture, while one of then
insisted on kissing the bartender. Finally
they went of loaded right up to the muz
zle, but perfectly good-natured. The.
took the gold watch along, OF course. Blu
they left about hundred dollars OF good
Kentucky money in the place Oh it.
"A year later stopped at Prescott
sgain.
{ "'Well, Prescott. have the Henderson,
boys cleaned you out YETI
Not yet
He SMILED. The mast profitable GU
TONERS he had were those wild Henderso
| boru Thew EneU narxya when thev i